容身之地 (róng shēn zhī de) — a place to stay (used when the space is scarce or the situation is desperate); refuge, shelter (often in negative: 没有容身之地)

Definition

Literary phrase for 'a place to stay' or 'refuge', almost always used in a difficult or desperate context (e.g. no 立足之地). Stronger and more written than plain 住处.

noun
a place to stay (used when the space is scarce or the situation is desperate)refugeshelter (often in negative: 没有容身之地)

Examples

  • ，容身之地。
    Zhàn luàn zhōng, xǔ duō rén lián yí gè róng shēn zhī de dōu méi yǒu.
    During the war, many people didn't even have a place to stay.
  • ，容身之地。
    Tā piāo bó bàn shēng, zhōng yú zhǎo dào le shǔ yú zì yǐ de róng shēn zhī de.
    After drifting for half his life, he finally found a place of his own.
  • ，容身之地。
    Fáng jià tài gāo, nián qīng rén zài zhè zuò chéng shì jī hū zhǎo bú dào róng shēn zhī de.
    With housing prices so high, young people can barely find a place to stay in this city.

Origin

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
公
公gōng容róng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 容, the 宀 (roof) part points to holding or containing, and 公 gives the sound.

Open 容 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 身 comes from a drawing of a pregnant woman.

Open 身 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape pairs 止, a foot, with 一, a beginning place, and means to go.

Open 之 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
也
也yě地dì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

地 is built from 土 (earth) and 也, which gives its sound.

Open 地 →

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